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Dance Company of Middlebury Premieres “Simply Light”

30th Anniversary Performance and Tour Launches in Vermont and Travels to California

Middlebury, VT—The Dance Company of Middlebury will premiere its newest work, Simply Light, on Friday and Saturday, January 25th and 26th, 2013. In honor of the company’s 30th anniversary, the performance will feature dance artists from the past, present, and future. Following the premiere in Vermont, the company will travel to Smith College, San Francisco, and the Monterey Institute for International Studies for a week-long tour.

Simply Light includes diverse and dynamic new contemporary dance works by professional artists Catherine Cabeen, Paul Matteson ’00, Andrea Olsen, and Peter Schmitz, featuring the solo “This is How it Looks” by Schmitz performed by Matteson. A hip-hop suite by student Cameron McKinney ’14 engages original video design. Composers Michael Chorney, Kane Mathis, and David Darling have created original music for the tour. The elegant and evocative costume designs are by Heidi Henderson and Maile Okamura, Lighting design is by Jennifer Ponder, who celebrates her 15th year with the company this season.

This 30th anniversary repertory season of the Dance Company of Middlebury (DCM) includes dance artists whose collaboration with the company spans three decades. Artistic director Olsen and guest choreographer Schmitz arrived on the Middlebury dance scene in 1982. Alumnus Matteson began his dance career at Middlebury and has gone on to become a Bessie award-winning professional dancer. Relative newcomers include Cabeen, who joined the dance faculty this season, and the six student dancers who earned their places in this year’s company by audition: Doug LeCours ’15, Jessica Lee ’13, Cameron McKinney ’14, Hannah Pierce ’13, Sarae Snyder ’15, and Meredith White ’15.

Olsen, who teaches in both environmental studies and dance at Middlebury, explains the inspiration behind the title of this year’s performance: “Visual artist James Turrell states that all light comes from something burning. 99.9% of energy on the planet comes from the sun, absorbed and transformed though plants to fuel our dancing bodies. In all dimensions, we’re touched by light, infused by possibilities for inspiration, and encouraged to engage fresh vision. In Simply Light, the vitality of the performers matches the vibrancy of the choreography to illuminate through inner and outer light.” Olsen will be scholar in residence at the Monterey Institute of International Studies during spring semester 2013.

Additional activities include two special events on Saturday, January 26: a pre-show discussion about DCM’s history with emeritus professor of philosophy and former dance company board member Victor Nuovo, college historian Andrew Wentink ’70, and Andrea Olsen, at 7:00 p.m.; and a post-show reception and dance party.

DCM’s 2013 performance and tour are sponsored by the Department of Theatre and Dance, the Middlebury College Arts Council, and host sponsors at various sites.

The two Vermont performances by DCM will take place on Friday and Saturday, January 25th and 26th, 2013, at 8:00 p.m. in the Dance Theatre of the Mahaney Center for the Arts. Tickets are $12 for the general public; $10 for Middlebury College faculty, staff, alumni, emeriti, and other ID card holders; and $6 for Middlebury College students. The Mahaney Center for the Arts is located at 72 Porter Field Road, off Route 30 South in Middlebury. Ample free parking is available. For more information, call (802) 443-MIDD (6433) or go to http://go.middlebury.edu/arts.